CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION OF PROBING DEPTH ASSESSMENTS - DIAGNOSTICAND THERAPEUTIC IMPLICATIONS - A LITERATURE-REVIEW

THIS PAPER ADDRESSES the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of in creased probing depths. In general, in untreated and treated patients, when deep and shallow probing depths are compared, the data indicate that deep sites an associated with increased bleeding upon probing, el evated subgingival temperatures, higher levels of pathogens, more prob ing errors, a greater amount of infiltrated connective tissue, reduced ability to remove subgingival deposits with root planing, and diminis hed effectiveness of oral hygiene to alter the subgingival microbiota. Clinical trials demonstrate that probing depth is not a good predicto r of future disease progression However, deep sites are at greater ris k of disease progression than shallow sites in untreated and treated p atients. Furthermore, the deeper the probing depth, the greater the ri sk of future disease progression. Overall, the preponderance of eviden ce indicates that it is advantageous, but not always necessary, for pa tients to have shallow probing depths. With regards to surgical reduct ion of probing depths beyond that attained with non-surgical therapy, clinicians need to consider the advantages (e.g., ease of maintenance, reduced risk of disease progression) and disadvantages (e.g., root se nsitivity, cosmetic defects) of treatment procedures. Since numerous v ariables require consideration (e.g., response to root planing, goals of therapy, acceptable level of risk for future disease progression), treatment decisions will vary depending on the patient and the desired clinical outcome at specific sites.